S1 Ep10: Big Broadway Energy with host Stephen Riordan and Culver Casson

Radio St. Pete Podcast Archive

Culver is a graduate of Northwestern University with a B.A. in Voice, The Juilliard School of Music with an Advanced Certificate in Vocal/Opera Performance and The William Esper Studio in New York City ( a 2 year Sanford Meisner method acting program). You may have seen her as the incinerating "Mary Reeser" in Weird in St. Pete at Floridarama this past fall, or roaming about Boyd Hill Nature Preserve as "Narrator 2" in 10 Ways to Survive the Zombie Apocalypse last winter as a member of American Stage's "Beyond the Bay" Acting Company. Or perhaps you caught her playing "Taryn" in The Dog at the James Museum as part of American Stage's "Lift Every Voice Festival" downtown St Petersburg, FL. Favorite roles include "Jessica Gatewood " in Splendora at Chelsea Playhouse and The Pantheon Playhouse in New York City, "Johanna" in Sweeney Todd at Skylight Opera in Milwaukee, "Rosabella" in The Most Happy Fella at Light Opera Works in Chicago, "Papagena" in The Magic Flute with the Madison Symphony Orchestra under the baton of Maestro John DeMain, and "Monica" in The Medium with the Bronx Opera. Culver also has performed her own acclaimed cabaret show Island Magic at Don't Tell Mama's and Judy's in New York as well as Heart and Home at the inauguration of the Marion Anderson Studio in CT. She has been a featured soloist with many national symphony orchestras, and since moving to Florida almost 9 years ago, graduated from American Stage's UCB style Improvisation program, was a founding member of "Definitely Not Murderers", American Stage's Musical Improv House Team as well as a featured soloist at St. Petersburg Opera's Pirates and Angels Variety Show. Culver also taught acting and music at a private school in Clearwater for 4 years and has directed over 13 shows, including Grease, Pippin and It's a Wonderful Life at the Bilheimer Capitol Theater. Carrollwood Cultural Center audiences have seen Culver as "Josephine Vitale" in Tony and Tina's Wedding, winner of Broadway World's Tampa Regional Award for Best Play 2022. She also directed Spamalot there and was nominated by Broadway World for Best Director 2023. At the Carrollwood Players Theatre, she played "Helen Bechdel" in Fun Home, which was nominated for Broadway World's Tampa Regional Award for Best Musical 2023, had the time of her life performing "Elizabeth Benning" in Young Frankenstein, the Musical for which she won a Nancy Award for Best Musical, was the ever-drunk-and-disorderly "Miss Hannigan" in Annie, which won Broadway World's Tampa Regional Award for Best Musical and Best Ensemble 2024, and she just finished playing the villainous Miss Baltimore Crabs' "Velma Von Tussle" in the critically acclaimed smash hit musical, Hairspray. She also runs around the area as many Singing Telegram Characters- "Clunky Da Funky Chicken" is her favorite clucker to perform! And last but not least, she teaches private voice lessons to students, both local and national, at Culvernote Voice Studio: Culvercasson.com. Keep the Arts Alive!!!!
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ABOUT STEPHEN RIORDAN Stephen Riordan is an arts professional having acted, directed, produced, and written in both in New York and St. Pete for over 25 years. Stephen recently made his American Stage debut in Weird in St. Pete, the first show in their “Beyond the Stage” series playing Peter Demens, the undisputed father of St. Petersburg. He is also in the cast of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. His podcast, “Big Broadway Energy ” highlights up-and-coming artists in our very own community. He is the director of Venus in Fur now playing at the Studio@620 through May 25th.
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